3 Bhojyasanam

01 A COOKED OFFERING (havis) IS PREPARED AND GIVEN TO THE IMAGE

About this important act (havis must be considered the God’s main meal), V only says: “one should give havis with the formula* tad asya* priyam”. The others give details of the method of preparation. KA says that the *bhojyāsana *“eating seat” should be prepared. The cooking should take place in the cooking hall (pācanālaya) which is located in one of the courtyards (AN). There are six kinds of havis, according to the kinds of grains used for it and their mixture (K, ch. 75; AN, p. 78).

80.1 A honeydish (madhuparka) is given first (BK, BP, KA). This mixture is prepared with the help of ghee, honey, sweet milk, curds, molasses etc.; or with curds only (BK). According to BK, the formula employed here is* agnim iſe*¹, but BP, KA and also VMP mention* yan madhuno madhavyam*, given in full at this place by KAV only:* yan madhuno madhavyam paramam annadyam viryam tenäham madhuno madhavyena paramenánnädyena viryeṇa paramo ’nnādo ‘sani tejase tvā śriyai yaśase balāyānnādyāya prāśnāmi *²“May I be the supreme Eater of food by means of that which is sweeter than honey, the supreme food and heroism; I eat you for fiery energy, lustre, glory, strength and food.”

80.2 Water for rinsing the mouth (BP, KA).

80.3 A site is prepared by smearing with cowdung. This is prescribed by all. This site (mandalam) is quadrangular (BP, KA). The act is accompanied by the formula athava nitam paramam pavitram suraſ aviryad itam astu rakṣaḥ | ayantu devān pitṛbhir vidhatte asmin sthale sannidhidattalipte (thus KAV) “now the supreme purifier has been brought down; by the heroism of the Lord of the gods the demons have to flee away; the gods together with the ancestors, should come on to this place which has been prepared for them and smeared around” (thus presumably).

80.4 The vessels are taken and cleaned (this has been done during the preceding worship; see 19), and their presiding deity, the Sun, is wor- shipped in them by means of his five names or “manifestation formulas” (mürtimantra): Aditya, Bhaskara, Sürya, Märtända, and Vivasvăn. The vessels are heated by means of ghee with* devasya tvā *and put down on the besmeared site.

ॐ आदित्यं आवाहयामि । ॐ भास्करं आवाहयामि । ॐ सूर्यं आवाहयामि । ॐ मार्ताण्डं आवाहयामि । ॐ विवस्वन्तं आवाहयामि ।

ॐ आदित्यं प्रपद्ये । ॐ भास्करं प्रपद्ये । ॐ सूर्यं प्रपद्ये । ॐ मार्ताण्डं प्रपद्ये । ॐ विवस्वतं प्रपद्ये ॥

oṃ ādityaṃ āvāhayāmi । oṃ bhāskaraṃ āvāhayāmi । oṃ sūryaṃ āvāhayāmi । oṃ mārtāṇḍaṃ āvāhayāmi । oṃ vivasvantaṃ āvāhayāmi ।

• oṃ ādityaṃ prapadye । oṃ bhāskaraṃ prapadye । oṃ sūryaṃ prapadye । oṃ mārtāṇḍaṃ prapadye । oṃ vivasvataṃ prapadye ॥*

80.5 The *havis *is put into the vessels, but a quarter of it may be left in the *sthalī *or cooking-pot. It may be given to the attendants or used as a *bali *(A). The formula used is amṛtopastaraṇam asi “you are the sub- stratum for nectar” (in the Veda used for the sipping of water before taking food).

॥ अमृतमस्तु । अमृतोपस्तरणमसि ॥

80.6 Spices, fruits, desserts, molasses etc. are added with the gayatri: tat savitur etc. Only BP says: with the* Viṣṇugāyatri: nārāyaṇāya vidmahe* etc.

ॐ ना॒रा॒य॒णाय॑ वि॒द्महे॑ वासु॒देवाय॑ धीमहि । तन्नो॑ विष्णु: प्रचो॒दया᳚त् ॥

80.7 The havis is touched and the *annasūkta *“Hymn to the Food”^{3 4} is recited. According to BP, the *surabhimudrā *is shown.

80.8 Clarified butter is added, preferably from a red cow (BKh), and mixed with fruits and curds (A). The formula used is: yat te sušime hṛdayam divi candramasi sthitam / tasyāmṛtatvasyeśāno maham pautra- makham rudam⁵ " Oh You with the hair well-parted, the immortal nature which is in Your heart, in heaven and in the moon, may I be ruler over it in order that I need not deplore the (missing) sacrifice of my grandsons."

80.9 A flower is laid on the *havis *after the ghee has been poured upon it (BKh, BY, BP). BP: the formula of eight syllables (Om namo narayaṇāya) is said.

80.10 The vessel(s) is (are) sprinkled with pure water. This is accompanied by the syllable om.

80.11 At last the havis is offered to Visņu with two formulas: at first, tad asya priyam abhi patho aśyam nara yatra devayavo madanti / uru-kramasya sa hi bandhur ittha vişnoh pade parame madhva utsah⁶ “may I attain that beloved protectorate of His, where the men who strive for the God are exulting; for that is truly the source of honey, the companion of the broad-striding Vişņu in His highest step”. The second formula is: subhūs svayambhūḥ prathamam antar mahaty arṇave dadhe ha garbham tviyam yato jātah prajāpatik “the well-born One, the spontaneously- born One, as the first in the great (primeval) flood, placed the embryo in proper time, from whence Prajapati has been born”.⁷" It is difficult to see what is the connection of the last formula with the act in question. Very probably, the subhūs svayambhūḥ of the mantra has been identified with Vişņu-Nārāyaṇa, who is said to be in a lying position above the waters (thus the traditional etymology of the name Nārāyaṇa).⁸

तद॑स्य प्रि॒य म॒भि पाथो॑ अश्याम्॒ नरो॒ यत्र॑ देव॒ यवो॒ मद॑न्ति ।

उ॒रु॒क्र॒मस्य॒ स हि बन्धु॑रि॒त्था विष्णो᳚: प॒दे प॑र॒मे मध्व॒ उत्स॑: ॥३॥

tádasya priyámabhí pā́tho aśyām náro yátra devayávo mádanti ǀ

urukramásya sá hí bándhuritthā́ víṣṇoḥ padé paramé mádhva útsaḥ ǁ 5 ॥

80.12 Havis is given also to the Four Manifestations: rice boiled in milk (payasa) to Purușa, with hiraṇyagarbhah; a mixture of rice and sesamum (kṛśara; tilaudana, BK) to Satya, with* iha puştim*; a mixture of rice and molasses etc. (gaulya) to Acyuta, with samāvavarti; and a barley- dish (yāvaka) to Aniruddha with* tat trīṇy eșa*.⁹ Havis may also be given to the minor images of Vişņu, to the two goddesses, Brahmā and Īśa, the two seers, etc.

80.13 BP now mentions a few actions like presentation of water for rinsing the mouth, a handful of flowers, betel.

02 OBLATIONS ARE MADE INTO THE FIRE (homa)

A calls this element mūrtihoma, KA: nityahoma. In the strict sense, this fire offering is an interruption in the regular *pūjā *pattern. It is of quite another nature and originates in the Vedic system of worship. Yet it has been retained in nearly all pūjā ceremonies of a certain size, even in Śāktism and Tantrism. —-The *homa *is performed in a small sacrificial hall (yagaśālā) to the south of the temple. The firepit is of the type called *aupasana or sabhyā. The oblation consists of a porridge (caru) with clarified butter mixed with it. The details of the ceremony are to be carried out according to the description in Vaikhānasa gṛhya Sūtra 1,9 ff. Some of these details are found in KA and KAV. Of all the handbooks, BKh gives a few more particulars than the others. BY refers expressly to BKh for more information. — In this survey, the full details of the fire-offering cannot be discussed. Suffice it to say, that oblations are brought to a number of deities and to Viṣṇu last. The oblations to Viṣṇu are accompanied by the litany ato devā *etc. and by the Lord’s manifestation formulas. The attendant deities should not be forgotten (K: *homa *should be directed to all deities residing in the temple).

81.1 When the oblations have been completed, A adds yet a prescription: the officiant should once again sprinkle around the fire and worship it. In one manuscript of A this is stated with more precision: he should worship the sun, and then the fire, saying the Vaiśvānarasūkta. BKh: worship fire and sun. This is all that is to be found in the handbooks, and thus the contents of the “worship of the sun” remain somewhat mysterious.¹⁰

81.2 After homa, the fire should be caused to enter again into the firewood and laid upon a non-sacred fire (laukikāgni), presumably the temple kitchen (M). BK: if possible, keep the fire burning. Thus also BP, who adds: “if this is impossible, cause the fire to ascend into the firewood or into yourself”. The ash may be used to make a Viṣṇuite mark on the forehead (KA).

81.3 A remarkable point is that the *homa *is not found in the worship of Viṣṇu described by V. Thus there has taken place a secondary combination of the *homa *and the *pūjā *into one ritual of worship. It should be noted however that in other early descriptions of *pūjā *the worship of the deity in the *pūjā *method is sometimes found included within a homa, and thus is, so to speak, only a variety of a regular fire offering: at first the fire is prepared in the Vedic way, then the ceremonies of the pūjā are performed and at last the fire offering is completed.¹¹

03 A TRIBUTE (bali) IS BROUGHT TO THE MINOR DEITIES

This is the element which is often called *nityotsava *(daily festival). BP and KA call it yātrāsana- “procession seat”. It is mentioned by all handbooks (not by V), but the most extensive discussions are found in BP and KA. K, however, dedicates a special chapter (ch. 71) to the matter. In the main, the course of this attendance is as follows: the officiating priest (BKh: the guru) and one or more assistants go with the tribute around the temple and then to the pedestal where the *balī *is to be laid down. The priest himself carries water, the assistant(s) the *bali *(the assistant bearing the bali is to symbolize Garuda, cf. K, ch. 71). The elements of the *bali *offering are these (BKh, M); water, flowers, perfumes, incense, lamp, balī, water. Or, in an easier variety: water, flowers, balī, water. The assistants acquit themselves of this task.

82.1 The *balī *is given to all the deities residing in the temple, or to some of them, in accordance with the means available. The remaining part of the bali is laid on the pedestal of the demons.

82.2 The *bali *to Vişņu will be offered presently (87). BP and KA describe the *yātrāsana *as one whole, which is a systematization of the rather vague treatment of the handbooks.

82.3 The priest now washes his feet, rinses his mouth, and again enters the temple.

04 DRINKING-WATER IS OFFERED TO VIŞNU

Prescribed by all including V. The formula said is* idam vişnur… *¹²

05 THE FOOD OFFERED IS TAKEN AWAY AND THE SITE AND PEDESTAL ARE CLEANED

This is of course the duty of an assistant. No formula is required.

06 WATER FOR RINSING THE MOUTH IS OFFERED TO VIŞŅU (4)

Also V mentions this element. The handbooks give no formula. Only KA prescribes *yoge yoge, *for which see 61.1.

07 MOUTH-PERFUME OFFERED TO VISŅU

This element is also mentioned by V. The ingredients used for mouth-perfume are mainly cardamon, betel, clove and camphor. BY: these ingredients should be wrapped in a piece of cloth beforehand and kept for a night. About the formula to be used the instructions are divided. V, A, M, KA and BK give vicakrame; A, K, BKh, BY give *ghṛtāt pari. *¹³

08 THE balī IS OFFERED TO VIṢŅU

With the tribute for Viṣṇu also a circumambulation is made around the temple. If the worship is organized on a larger scale, a special bali image destined for the purpose joins the procession. BP says that the balī image should be adorned, put on a cart with the formula *rathāntaram *(which one?), and honoured with royal insignia. Once again we emphasize that the ceremonies of 82 and 87 are treated as one whole in the younger sources.

87.1 K, in ch. 71, gives further information about the details of the ceremony and its symbolism. The balī is to be shaped like a lotus and Viṣṇu should be considered as present in it. Brahmā is the presiding deity of the cooked food of which the tribute consists. The assistant who bears the tribute is Garuḍa. The description by K, however detailed, makes no mention of the bali image and thus the conclusion lies to hand that it was not yet known to K. In 0.2.1, it has been seen that of the handbooks BK only mentioned it expressly while summing up the images.

09 A BOW IS MADE IN FRONT OF THE IMAGE

This bow should be done in five varieties, explained by K in ch. 73. The bow should be accompanied by the viṣṇusūkta: viṣṇor nu kam etc.¹⁴ A prescribes* ato devā* etc.

10 THE SACRIFICIAL GIFT (dakṣiṇā) IS MADE

The handbooks do not fail to mention this element here, but are all rather vague about its exact nature. The *dakṣiṇā *usually consists of gold, jewels, or mouth-perfume (K, M). It is probably due to the officiating priest and should he given by the person on whose behalf and by whose sponsorship the worship in question is performed.

90 VIṢŅU IS TO BE PRAISED.

V, the oldest source, says here that the officiant should meditate on God as the personal manifestation of the sacrifice (none of the younger sources repeat or paraphrase this remark) and praise Him with the puruṣasūkta.¹⁵ The puruṣasūkta is mentioned unanimously also by the others as a hymn of praise. A, BKh, BP and KA also mention the viṣṇusūkta¹⁶ and M and BP the litany ekākṣara¹⁷ etc. (VMP 8,38). BKh also mentions ato devā etc. (VMP 6,1). VMP mentions the *viṣṇusūkta *and the puruṣasūkta, both pratikena. BP in addition makes mention of the viṣṇugāyatrī, the three *vyāpakamantrah *(which?), and “other mantras and sūktas directed to Viṣṇu”.

90.1 KA: now the priest should show to God an ornamental lamp, saying *arcata prarcata. *¹⁸

91 A HANDFUL OF FLOWERS (puṣpāñjali) IS OFFERED TO THE IMAGE. This last element of worship is found also in V. The worshipper says the formulas of eight and twelve syllables: om namo nārāyaṇāya and* om namo bhagavate vāsudevāya*; “Om, honour to Nārāyaṇa”; “Om, honour to the Lord Vāsudeva”. According to K. and BK, he might say the* viṣṇu-gāyatrī*. Interesting is, that A and BK mention the words* namo brahmaṇe *“honour to Brahman”.

91.1 VMP is the only source which mentions the following verse said in order to take leave of the God in the evening: arcitas suṣuṣṭutaś cāp suparṇagaruḍadhvaja / cakrapāṇe mahābāho yatheṣṭam vasa om namaḥ “Oh great-armed One, Who wields the disc in Your hand, Whose banner contains the eagle Garuḍa, being worshipped and duly praised abide here, enjoying Yourself; om, honour.”

92 THE DOOR OF THE TEMPLE IS CLOSED and the morning worship is brought to its end. The closing of the door should be accompanied by the formula *sūryas tvā purastāt pātu *“the Sun should protect You in front” (VMP 8,35).

92.1 In some sources now follow some directions about special features of the worship at noon and in the evening. Thus in the evening the image should not be bathed (K, BK); removal of *nirmalya *only takes place in the morning (BKh). The most important addition in the evening ritual is the preparation of God’s resting-place (śayanāsanam). As its details are only given by BP, KA and AN, it will not be considered here. - KAV even adds a description of the paryaṅkāsanam, “palanquin”.

92.2 The handbooks indeed mention the rule that after the last worship of the day God should be led again into the immovable image.

92.3 Some other minor regulations are left out of the present description.